Public sculpture
Hove has some impressive examples of Victorian monument but very little public sculpture has been added in recent times. In 2012 we decided to change this. We think public art can play a major role in enhancing the urban environment and would like to see contemporary sculpture as part of Hove’s street life and seafront vistas. With public money being tight, we embarked on fund raising from a wide range of sources. In April 2018 the Hove Plinth and the first sculpture, Constellation by Jonathan Wright, were inaugurated on the Hove seafront promenade to great public acclaim. Constellation remained on the Hove Plinth util September 2023 when it was replaced by Flight of the Langoustine by Pierre Diamantopoulo. In total the Society raised £300K for the Hove Plinth and its first two scu;lptures. Constellation is now placed in the gardens of Hove Museum of Creativity.
Our vision for public sculpture in Hove includes
- Engagement – evoking a response of surprise and delight from residents and visitors
- Bringing to life history and the character of Hove
- Connecting with the sea and the seafront promenade
- Linking in with Brighton & Hove Festivals and Artists Open Houses
- An ongoing programme which could include both permanent and changing installations, including a variety of sites
Visit the Hove Plinth website to find out more.
The success of Hove Plinth has prompted us to launch a wider initiative, Sculpture in Our City. We started this in 2018 and put together a framework for the initiative with the help of an Advisory Group that met throughout 2019. The full report reflecting the work of the Advisory Group can be found here
